Cauliflower

A cruciferous vegetable in the same plant family as broccoli, kale, cabbage and collards

Has a milky, sweet, almost nutty flavor

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IDENTIFICATION:

It has a compact head (called a “curd”), with an average size of six inches in diameter, composed of undeveloped flower buds. The flowers are attached to a central stalk. When broken apart into separate buds, cauliflower looks like a little tree, something that many kids are fascinated by.

Nutrient Value:

* Excellent source of vitamin C, and a very good source of manganese, two core conventional antioxidants

Health Benefits:

Provides special nutrient support for three body systems that are closely connected with cancer development as well as cancer prevention. These three systems are (a) the body’s detox system, (b) its antioxidant system, and (c) its inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system. (1)

* Glucosinolates are phytonutrients that can help activate detoxification enzymes and regulate their activity.

* Glucoraphanin can trigger anti-inflammatory activity in our cardiovascular system and may also help prevent and even possibly help reverse blood vessel damage.

* Digestive system support – can help protect the lining of your stomach. Sulforaphane prevents bacterial overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori in your stomach or too much clinging by this bacterium to your stomach wall.

Tips for Use

* Cauliflower will keep for up to five days if stored in the crisper section of the refrigerator. Store it in an open or perforated plastic bag. Keep the head stem-side up to prevent moisture form collecting on it. For the best flavor, cauliflower should be eaten as soon as possible.

* COOKING – Steaming cauliflower will better preserve its vitamin content, especially the B vitamins, than if it is boiled. NOTE: Cauliflower may turn yellow in alkaline water. For whiter cauliflower, add a tablespoon of milk or lemon juice to the water. Do not cook cauliflower in an aluminum or iron pot. The chemical compounds in cauliflower will react with the aluminum and turn the vegetable yellow. While in an iron pot, it will turn a brown or blue-green color.

* For maximum health benefits, make cruciferous vegetables as part of your diet 2-3 times per week, and make the serving size at least 1-1/2 cups.

History:

Cauliflower traces its ancestry to the wild cabbage, a plant thought to have originated in ancient Asia Minor, which resembled kale or collards more than the vegetable that we now know it to be.

The cauliflower went through many transformations and reappeared in the Mediterranean region, where it has been an important vegetable in Turkey and Italy since at least 600 B.C.